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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  8. He was locked up in a ________________.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. cell — in biology
  3. toast — bread
  4. snap — to click
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. suit — in cards
  7. cell — a phone
  8. cell — in a prison
  9. track — to keep track
  10. pit — a hole
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. track — a path
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. suit — to fit
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. suit — clothes
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. pit — in a race
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. track — a song
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. ruler — a monarch

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com